My professional career is over before it started

I've had one (ONE) paid reading, back in January of this year. I've got a box full of business cards, a few of which I gave out at local shops. But I'm lazy. I'm not much on self-promotion. The only people reading my blog are other readers (which I do appreciate) --and even that I have lost interest lately in updating. It's been weeks.

Oh well. Maybe I'll get interested in it all again one day.

Anyone else have this happen?

yeah I'm struggling to get any work... How about a phone line?

Lazy? Yes happens all the time, fortunately my luck counters much of my lazy

Readings are by word of mouth and I get more booze then anything it seems.

I think there are so many people with websites selling readings that it's very, very difficult to get clients for email readings.
I'm lucky if I get one reading per month - I usually get less than that and most of my clients are returning customers who get a reading once a year or something like that.
I just think that the online reading market is flooded with people who are offering exactly what you're offering.
I'm loathe to even call myself a professional reader because I do so few professional readings. I think if you want to make a real go of a tarot business then you have to have a venue and read face to face; either that or just think of your on-line readings as a hobby and enjoy every one .

I don't mind anyone saying they're a professional reader, because in my opinion, if you've been paid for reading, you're a professional. To me the word 'professional' just means, 'I profess to be good enough at this to ask for money to do it'. At least where crafts or skills that have no set qualifications are concerned. But I digress.

To be honest, I'd be happy to read for free, but sometimes a reading takes a long time and a lot of work, and it would be nice to get paid for at least some of them. You reckon I should offer freebies on my website? I just want to read the cards---but my way. I put myself on hiatus as a free reader at TABI because I got so tired of feeling like my readings were watered down or corporate style or something.

Carla said:

I've had one (ONE) paid reading, back in January of this year. I've got a box full of business cards, a few of which I gave out at local shops. But I'm lazy. I'm not much on self-promotion. The only people reading my blog are other readers (which I do appreciate) --and even that I have lost interest lately in updating. It's been weeks.

Oh well. Maybe I'll get interested in it all again one day.

Anyone else have this happen?

Click to expand...

<compassionately> You need to find a venue. The discipline of being available in one place at a regular time will make a difference.

Where you live, is it accepted for cafes, or perhaps bookshops, to have a reader tucked away in a corner? If so, ask a few of them in your area, ones without a reader or with one only in once a week. Offer them one-quarter of everything you take (25%) as payment for the space. Explain that it will take a while for the word to get out, and there might be a couple of weeks with no income at all. Ask for two days a week: one during the weekend, and one during the week for the convenience of people with different working schedules.

Every time you have a good day at work, blog about it, even if you have had no clients (it is still possible to enjoy yourself). Take in books to read, crosswords or chrocheting to do between clients. Print out signage to sit on your table and/or blutack to the outside wall, and have it professionally laminated. And just keep coming back at your regular times.

If people whizz by and say they don't have time for readings, tell them that you also read remote by email (or skype or whatever you're comfortable with), and hand them a business card. If you have a coffee out with friends, leave a card on the table. If you visit the local hospital, leave one in the cafeteria and on the nurse's station of the ward you visit. If you catch a bus or train, leave one on your seat when you get off. If you fall into casual conversation with someone in a supermarket line, hand them a card without bothering to explain what you do, and ask them to keep in touch.

That's what I did. Business was slow to build up at my current venue (it's been months, and I still occasionally have a no-client day) but overall, I'm seeing more work than I did when I first started, and all because I simply put aside those days to sit there doing nothing rather than using the days "more productively" at home.

It's worth it.

(Is your blog URL on your card?)

Also depending on the local laws regarding junk mail in your area, you might like to use some of your surplus business cards by simply going for a walk on a fine day for your health and enjoyment, and dropping them into letterboxes as you go. 99% of my letterboxed business cards were wasted, but the few readings I've had that way (and one party) more than paid for the print-run and the hours I spent doing it. And I like walking, and need to walk for my health anyway, so it wasn't wasted time even if nothing had happened.

You really have to put in some work, perseverence and patience to get a business built up and what everyone else has told you is right. Your best bet is to work on reading face-to-face rather than online. You have to figure you're only going to get about 10% return for all the business cards you put out, so the more you put out, the better. That means, if you put out 200 cards, you might get 20 customers depending on how strategically you place them. You can't get discouraged when you put put out 50 and get no customers. And in seeking a place to sit, you can't give up no matter how many places say "no thanks" because the next place might be the one where you can make your business actually work.

Reading face-to-face is really the most rewarding, in my opinion, so if you can get it going, I think you'll find that you enjoy it very much. Good luck.

You have to spend money to make money. That's unfortunate but true. You have to spend your time and your money. That means offering cut-rate readings or even free readings to get established sometimes. And you have to only charge what the market will bear, not top dollar, in this economy, especially. But lots of people do bartering and that's the same and sometimes better than if you were paid in cash, depending on what you barter for. That's good for your business, too.

These are all good tips but I have a full time job and also work one weekend in four. I don't have a venue for face-to-face readings nor the free time to park myself at one and become a fixture. I would love to sit at a table in an occult shop all day and chat to customers. That sounds like a great job! I've never had ambitions to read full time or make much money as a reader. I'd be happy doing one or two readings a week, that sounds ideal. But I need to be able to do it at my convenience because that's the way my life is.

I'll figure this out some day! Or not...I may end up just playing with my decks and having fun on my own, and that's okay, too. I'd love to be a full time reader like Nisaba. I'd like to be a once-a-month online reader like Sulis. I guess I just want to read for 'real people', in whatever way I can do that.

Carla, I built my website a couple of years ago. I did it mainly so that I could learn to build a website, and so that when I am reading face to face for friends, family, and their friends, etc people would have a place to point others they come in contact with who may be interested.
I've had one actual paid reading through the website and that's fine for me at this point. It's more of a home base, something I work on when I have time, and something to have in my pocket for the future. It was built more as part of a long term plan. I'm not much for self promotion, either. I'm still gearing up with some other stuff I want to do and reading will be a part of it, not everything. Like you, I work full time. I also I take online classes as well as classes at a local metaphysical shop, raise a family and have pets to take care of, have a house to clean, write fiction and make silver jewelry, etc... I do volunteer at the American Tarot Association's Free Tarot Network. You can read as often or as little as you like there, I am set up for one reading per week. (I think you have to do at least one reading per month, but I'm not totally sure about that.) It keeps me connected with the cards (and the querents) and allows me the flexibility to do it when I want to (or as time permits).

Anyway, just do what you do. Your site is there when you need it.

Carla,

My reputation grew slowly in some circles and fast in others. I found the slow grow, understanding and trust was more satisfying for me and the sitters: Thoughtful , contemplative and with better wine.

The fast was those who I happened to say what they wanted to hear that night, bright fun and done. Thanks for the shooters.

I ask for money from the second list, not the first... The first list, I still fix their farm equipment too.

Do it for your joy and learning.

EDIT: for what it is worth, I hardly qualify as a professional. For a year or two I did it as a hobby income. As my ideologies changed so did my ability to charge cash.